Tempest
by Sulfur Dusk
Summary: Dark Fantasy AU - Welcome to Seireitei. "We are all forced to make choices. If I were you, take my advice. Unless you want some foolish soul to spill their blood for you." For some, embracing the truth leads to a life in chains, and for one brave human girl, her life will be judged in matters out of her own hands… for better and for worse. :HitsuRuki:


**Title:**_ Tempest_

**Rating: **_T - M_

**Genre: **_General/Drama/Angst/Hurt/Action/Adventure/Fantasy/Romance_

**Coupling: **_Hitsugaya x Rukia_

**Setting: **_Alternate Universe_

**Disclaimer: **_Disclaimed_

**Summary: **_Dark Fantasy AU – Welcome to the Kingdom of Seireitei. "We are all forced to make choices. If I were you, take my advice. Unless you want to wait until some foolish soul spills their blood for you." For a mage, embracing the truth leads to a life in chains, and for one brave human girl, her life will be judged by matters out of her own hands… for better and for worse._

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

These Hard Days

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><p>"It's a universal truth that the Imperial Magisters don't know anything about what happens in their own kingdom. First, they create those damn squadrons and patrol the streets of each city like crazy, and then what? What are they trying to do? Purge the villagers till we drop?"<p>

Hammer pounded on steel, shaping above flickering embers and the finest coals that Rukia could gather from the local mines. If she had any help from her adoptive brother she would've been able to bring Isshin more than just a small batch of rusty black rocks.

Ichigo was standing rigid and angry against the bricked walls of his father's cottage. His hands were positioned on his hips and his frustrated brown eyes were narrowed in thought. Perhaps if he used that frustrated energy on shoveling heavy loads of dust out of Rukia's path in the mines, they would have more for Isshin Kurosaki—the most prized blacksmith in northern Seireitei—and now Rukia could only give her adoptive sibling a risen eyebrow.

"What's gotten you so worked up about the magisters anyway, Ichigo?" She sighed. "It's not like they're going to come by here anytime soon."

And it was true—the Imperial Magisters were abundant in their patrolling throughout most of Seireitei, though the quaint village of Karakura remained untouched for several years. Not since Rukia was a child being taken into the Kurosaki household did she glimpse the robes of a true magister, and that was so long ago.

Ichigo sighed. He hated talking about the magisters, but he ranted about them anyway, as if he had no other way of disclosing his suspicions and hatred. It must have had to do with the nasty rumors circulating the magisters and their work for the emperor.

Suddenly his father looked up from his work, eyes blossomed with red from staring into the flames for so long, and he broke into a wide grin. "Eh, go get yourself something to do! Make yourself useful, my son!"

Ichigo grumbled. "It's hard to ignore how the magisters treat those with… you know, _powers_."

Rukia bristled, though she hoped no one noticed. She glanced at her adoptive brother with a sly smirk. "I think you just like to whine."

"Right you are, Rukia," Isshin commended, nodding to the door. "Why don't you go inside, little one? You've worked hard today." He cast Ichigo a frosty glare in comparison. "Stay out here, son, I'd like to have a word with you."

Rukia frowned. "I can still help." It wasn't like she had a lot more to do. Sometimes she would help out at the local bakery when Isshin no longer needed her assistance, or she would wander to the mines after dark to take in the sights of the dipping sun and inhale the muskiness of the forest.

She crossed her arms when Isshin only looked at her, expecting her to leave in any moment. "It's private."

It was rare when Isshin sounded serious, so she left them be, wondering what their conversation could be about. Her fingers curled into her palms and she shouldered her way into the cottage that served as their home since she showed up at their doorstep, covered head to toe in scratches and blood from an event that she could not remember.

The cottage was a relatively nice establishment in Karakura, and their neighbors were especially friendly, though they viewed her as slightly different than the others. Ichigo knew of her abilities, the very fiber of her blood and her born state that made her different from everyone else.

There was a reason she was Isshin's best-kept secret.

Once Isshin first let her into their home, he told Ichigo to close the drapes to the cottage, to shut out the flames of the hearth and to soothe his little sisters to sleep. She was quiet, an odd child, and Isshin took great pity on the little thing that she was. Her raven hair, tangled and still somehow shining with health, and her big violet-blue eyes… she won him over within seconds.

Though Isshin Kurosaki was much smarter than he looked.

Ichigo had messed with his father's supplies at his tender age and attempted to forge a weapon himself. What followed was fifteen minutes of misfired attempts and agony as his flesh was seared and burned from the heat of the coals. Rukia had watched the whole thing and warned him about the dangers, and it was then that Isshin glimpsed her and his son together after that moment.

The Kurosaki residence remembered the moment when tears were falling from Ichigo's eyes, eyes that gave Rukia brotherly protection and kindness. With a strange surge of otherworldly feelings within her, she held his burned hand in hers, and within minutes the wounds began to heal.

Only magisters were allowed to possess such power and be allowed to use it in public. Her abilities were illegal—Isshin knew that she could cause pain just as easily as inflicting it if she wanted to. She could close wounds and open them, could control the flow of blood from her own body… it was rare magic, Isshin had said.

"_We will do whatever we can to keep you safe. Our home is your home."_

She'd heard of what happened to those who practiced magic outside of the Imperial Magisterium, the Seireitei Court… the establishment had been around for centuries, and this controlled system that led to culling of those who were deemed as innocent and unfairly "gifted" were either accepted or disregarded through the public's eye.

When the neighboring villagers of Karakura found out about her miraculous healing of Ichigo's lethal burns, she was seen as an abomination—an embodiment of corrupted magic, a being of supernatural proportions that had no right to live amongst the humans.

Rukia rolled her eyes and walked to the kitchen, immediately grabbing several vegetables and laying them out on the granite counter. She started cutting, hoping to whisk her thoughts to another place. She was still wondering what Isshin was talking to Ichigo about, but then again another part of her didn't want to know.

A knock on their front door drew her attention. She glanced over her shoulder when her younger adoptive sister Yuzu rushed to the entrance first, her white sundress flowing behind her like silken clouds.

"Hello?" She called through the door, her lips pouting. Rukia smirked at the nature of the child; she was whimsical and extremely sociable, like a flittering butterfly. To say the least, she was quite different from Karin, the slightly older sister, and when Rukia was in a somber mood she was nothing like either of them.

"Is this the Kurosaki residence?" a voice—strong, baritone—called through the wooden door, alerting Yuzu and causing the girl to jump back in surprise. She put her hands on her hips and stared haughtily at the doorframe.

"Big sister Rukia!" she called back, wary. "New people are here! Daddy always wants you to answer if it's like that!"

Rukia frowned, blinking strangely when she walked over to the door. As soon as she stepped beside Yuzu, she could tell something was wrong.

"Yuzu, go upstairs."

"But I—"

"_Now_," Rukia warned. She patted the girl's head gently before she stubbornly trotted back up the staircase from whence she came. Straightening herself and brushing down her tattered, ashen clothes, Rukia grasped the door and opened it, her eyes growing wide at the sight before her.

These strangers were not from Karakura at all. In fact, Rukia doubted they were from anywhere close to the village within a twenty-mile radius. They sported black and white uniforms, brandished with fine metallic weapons that even outshined the luster of her adoptive father's handiwork. Some were dressed more finely than others, though this man in particular stood strong and tall, with wisps of silver-pale hair and eyes that seemed tightly shut.

Rukia instantly didn't like him. She didn't look at his company, since her attention was drawn completely to the slanted, almost serpentine features of the man's face. He smiled widely and tilted his head to the side, as if he was expecting someone different.

"We are looking for an offender of the Sixth Law of the Empire… a Rukia Kurosaki."

Rukia's blood chilled to ice. Were they…?

"Ah, _there _you are, my little chef! I can tell that you were starting something in the kitchen!" Isshin called, breaking the stretch of silence between Rukia and the uniformed strangers.

Her father blinked at the presence of the man at the door and suddenly his voice turned ice-cold. "What are you lot doing here? How did you even get past the village gates?" He stomped forward, grasped Rukia's shoulders and pulled her back behind him. He stood up, his chest puffing protectively and his eyes strained forward. "I demand to know what you're doing here and why."

The man chuckled, amused. Rukia blinked and was pulled once more, this time by Ichigo, who looked just as angry and bewildered as their father. However, the glare the carrot-top was granting could have stripped the flesh and killed anybody who made contact—why were things elevated so quickly?

"I think you know exactly why we are in the vicinity of Karakura. Quaint little village though, is it not?" The silver-haired man beckoned to two men beside him. "My subordinates and I were given a report by a villager from the northern part of Seireitei that gave word of a disturbance… an _offense_, actually, of one of Emperor Yamamoto's most highly regarded laws. Perhaps you know the one, good, _kind_ sir." His tone was taunting, disrespectful, and the energy that coursed through Rukia was causing her fists to tighten.

The _gall _of this man!

Ichigo growled. "We don't have anything to hide." To Rukia, his words translated to: _stay the hell away from my sister or I'll fucking kill you. _

"Ah, well, this wouldn't be the first time that a report has been sent in. However, there has been several, from multiple sources, all from within your village from the past several months," the stranger continued, his smirk still glued to his odd, uncomfortable face. "Perhaps you can let me inside your home and inspect for details. I have the right to do so."

Isshin hesitated, his brow furrowing. "Let me see this report that you speak of." Strange. He didn't even ask for the man's name or status.

Rukia blinked. He didn't ask because Isshin knew exactly who these people were… and if they were looking for her…

Her heart started thumping at a rapid pace, and her gaze shifted between Isshin and Ichigo. They were talking about protecting her from them. Those reports—they had to have known about them.

_Idiots. _Idiots she adored, though they risked too much for her. She felt guilty for all that they had done, when she deserved little to nothing. They took her in, fed her, bathed her, taught her everything they knew, let her work for them, and they were still protecting her from the forces of supposed evil that Ichigo despised.

She looked at the two men accompanying the main lackey, frowning at the clear power they had over them, even in just looks. One was tall and well muscled, with darker browned skin and a pair of what looked like reflective glass banners perched on his nose. The other was lanky and narrow-faced, with stringy blond hair.

"Of course, a report is necessary for the felons trying to hide the abominations destined for death row."

Isshin bristled. "You have no proof… and no right—"

"Hold your tongue! You are speaking to Captain Gin Ichimaru, one of the greatest Imperial Magisters in all of Seireitei!" the blond man interjected, clearly defensive over his superior's position.

Rukia blanched. _Magister_. So she was right.

"Now, now, Izuru, there is no need for such verbal lashing. However, I will extend a warning to this gentleman for his refusal to hand over the clear _breaker_ of such an _important_ law." The man—_Gin_, apparently—waved off the complaint like an insect on his shoulder. "I could hand you all the reports given to me in the history of the courtroom, Mr. Kurosaki, though I doubt you'd wish to see how many witnesses have testified to the illegal activity of a _melafi._"

_Melafi_? Rukia had never heard of that word, but by the terrified expression gracing her father's normally unreadable features, she could tell she was in trouble. Had she done something wrong?

No, no, she hadn't. The villagers suspected her too much. They wanted her gone, and this was the best way to do it. The fact that Karakura's voice actually reached the Imperial Capitol and alerted the infamous magisters surprised her.

"You will not take anyone from _my _house, _sorcerer_," Isshin hissed. "I will not be manhandled in this manner, and you should know that I have status of my own, and will not commend to these stakes. My daughter has not done any wrong in the village of Karakura. She never has, and never will!"

He was about to slam the door, though Gin's hand shot out, blocked the impact and thrust it into the brick wall. The stones shattered under the weight of his strength, pulses of energy thrusting Isshin back to the other end of the room. Ichigo roared and rushed forward to tackle Gin. He was flicked aside easily, slamming into the wall.

Rukia's jaw slacked and she stared, horrified, at the officers. She growled and shook her head. "Why did you do that?"

"They didn't listen. I'm sorry, Mr. Kurosaki, but your daughter will be coming with us." Gin snapped his fingers. "Seize her. I will see to it that this matter is disclosed to the court. This man shall be punished accordingly."

Rukia's instincts flared—she couldn't let her father pay for this! Not him, not Ichigo, not _anyone_.

"_No_! Take me, kill me, I don't care. But _they _did nothing wrong!" Rukia yelled, bracing herself for some wave of magic to attack her. Magisters were powerful and knew how to conjure the most difficult and dangerous of forces—events that defied nature and time and everything in-between.

Within seconds Gin's hand was grasped tightly around her neck and she was dangling in the air, gasping for breath. "You will answer to the court and those on rule for judgment." He dropped her, watching in sick satisfaction as he heard several bones chip. "I doubt you will be needing the sympathies of your _father_. Such lowly individuals do not even need to hinder in the presence of a magister."

Rukia wanted to rip his face off for such words. She was yanked back to her feet, struggling in the arms of the blond man that spoke out against her father. She looked over, watching as Ichigo struggled to stand, his teeth grinding from the painful impact.

"Ichigo," she called, choking. "Don't do anything stupid!" She shook her head. "I'm going with them, for the reasons they said… if you attack any longer they'll take you too!" She knew what they were capable enough. She could practically feel the power radiating from the captain's body alone.

The former stranger dubbed Gin could only smirk at her stupidly brave words. "Smart girl, aren't you? And brave." He chuckled. "However quite naïve." He directed his attention to the door and spoke to the darker-skinned man at the door, striding past the unconscious Isshin Kurosaki without a second thought.

"If I go with you, you can't charge them with anything! It was me you wanted in the first place anyway," she growled, remaining as defiant as she possibly could. She hoped to the gods that Karin or Yuzu didn't hear the commotion… they needed to stay put and well-guarded. For now, she was lucky.

Captain Gin only shrugged, as if playing an amusing game with a close friend. "Perhaps I will, perhaps I won't. The judgment still stands. Your father and brother were attempting to hide a _malefi, _an abomination." He smirked at the cloud of shame that passed through her eyes. "You have such pretty eyes, Miss Kurosaki." He dipped to her eye level, grasping her chin and forcing her to lock gazes with him. "It's a shame that such beautiful gems will likely not see the light of day once we pass the village gates."

She spit in his face.

Gin reared back, his smile slightly faltering, though he remained vigilant and professional with his duties. He straightened his jacket, tilting his head up in victory of his scouting. "

Rukia watched Ichigo continue to struggle, but when she saw his eyes flicker to his father, she knew that this cost much more than her freedom.

"Rukia…" she heard her brother say, and she wanted, more than anything, to writhe against Izuru's arms, to show that she had some fight left inside her body, waiting to be awakened. She wanted to showcase to Ichigo that she was not giving up, though she let her eyes turn back to reveal the emotions that she only let him see.

In a second he looked crestfallen. Heartbroken. Unsure.

She could practically read his thoughts. _Rukia… No, you can't._

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><p>"What in the seven heavens' name is taking them so long?" A vein popped in Captain Hitsugaya Toushiro's forehead. He was mounted on his favorite horse, the powerful black mare that boasted a mane as white as winter snow, similar to his own frosty spikes. He called her Lilith, and right now she was wheezing, puffs of her breath forming clouds in the freezing air.<p>

"Perhaps they're just trying to upset you, Captain," his lieutenant muttered in hopeful approval. She was a beautiful woman to many, with curves that transcended the deepest valleys and hair that dropped in luminous golden waves past her waist. Her ashen blue eyes were said to hypnotize men and some claimed she resembled a goddess of sex and beauty.

In all honesty Hitsugaya saw her more as the goddess of annoyance and alcohol.

"I doubt it…" the man muttered with interest.

Hitsugaya stared in front of him at the surprisingly tall and broad wooden gates that protected the village of Karakura—the existence of said settlement had shocked most of the Imperial Magisters of Yamamoto's Court. When news arrived that a woman had been practicing illegal magic in this quaint area, reports were sent with too much haste to grasp.

"Maybe he grabbed a snack on the way out. I hear there's a great bakery in Karakura! Or maybe that was Graystone…? No, no, it was _definitely _Karakura—"

"_Matsumoto_," Hitsugaya seethed, tempted to smack the woman in the back of the head. He grumbled something inaudible, raising an eyebrow as the gates opened once more, where the expected party of magisters appeared in front of dusty pathways and what looked like clouds of coal dust.

"Have no fear, little captain friend," Gin Ichimaru announced, chuckling as he waved the other off with a flick of his hand. Hitsugaya frowned in disdain at the _little captain _statement, as he was leading this mission, though he chose to ignore it as there were much bigger tasks at hand. "As promised, I have acquired the little Kurosaki girl that was mentioned in the reports."

Hitsugaya blinked in utter shock at the sight before him. Indeed, she was female by the looks of it, but far smaller than he imagined. She was wearing tattered clothes slathered in layer upon layer of coal dust… perhaps she worked in the mines? She seemed very young, possibly around his age or even younger, and her face was downcast.

He expected the usual when reports were sent out. Insane men and women, or even children that were grappling sanity beyond recognition. They were corrupted, craving destruction, and favored the hatred of the public. They longed to dismember the figures of society and make names for themselves in the most corrupted of ways.

He wondered what this girl's crime was. Looks were deceiving.

"Was there any trouble?" Hitsugaya questioned, maintaining his professional look. Gin chuckled and dipped low as a response.

"Why _of course _not. The family resisted for a few minutes, per say, though the girl cooperated far more than her father or brother did."

"Then I trust you handled it professionally. I would hate to report any incidents to the emperor himself," the young magister warned, his tone laced with authority and a sense of power that many of the captains older than him had failed to grasp.

It was one of the main reasons why Emperor Yamamoto entrusted him with this mission, to travel for days on horseback to reach this small village settlement and arrest one of the most talked-about offenders of the law regarding magical beings in decades.

"Indeed I did, Captain Hitsugaya," Gin whispered. He cocked his head to the girl, chuckling. "She's quite the… energetic, little firecracker. I wouldn't keep my eye off of her for too long."

Matsumoto's lips pursed. She tried her best to smile. "What is your name, girl?"

The new prisoner tilted her head up, and the surprising onslaught of swirling, storming emotions that formed the massive orbs of violet on her porcelain features put Hitsugaya and Matsumoto in a whirl of shock.

The girl looked much more than energetic. Much more than a firecracker.

She looked angry. Very, very angry.

Hitsugaya bristled at her stare, yet the amount of heat radiating from her indicated that she was quite strong indeed. Perhaps she was holding back, saving her supposedly dangerous abilities for later. He wondered if she was as villainous as the residents of Karakura claimed.

Those eyes promised him something. He wasn't sure what yet, but he was intrigued nonetheless.

He would have some select things to report to Emperor Yamamoto once they returned…

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><p><strong>Yes, yes, I know… new story. But come <strong>_**on**_**. I couldn't resist! I love the idea of Rukia having these secret abilities and I love dark fantasy and twisted politics and all that other lovely stuff. Unlike my other works there will be a lot more romance and angst and drama and more action as well.**

**PLEASE read and review guys! It would mean the absolute world to me! I really hope you enjoyed this first chapter! Talk to you all soon! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. :)**

**- Sulfur Dusk**


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